Active mothers give their child a head start at a healthy life

Expecting mothers has long been told by doctors to stay healthy as it would help in the development stage of their child. The advice is back by numerous websites and books about pregnancy. The first time that a report was release about how exercise helps the babies to become healthier as they grow. There was a spike of mother-to-be enrolling in the gym. Some engaged themselves with prenatal yoga classes and others experiment with a low-impact exercises.

However, for those expecting mother out there who does not have the motivation. There is a new research that could aid in tipping up the scales. Researchers found out that exercising throughout pregnancy might be the initial intervention strategy that can be done to improve the heart of the child after birth.

Exercise physiologist and anatomist at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, Linda E. May, says she is hoping that the findings is going to show that the efforts in having a healthy lifestyle gives the upcoming baby a head start with health. May leads a series of studies regarding fetal heart development for the past four years.

In 2008, May and her associates conducted a study on KCUMB and the Kansas City University of Medicine establish a belief that pregnant women who worked out at least 30 minutes three times a week reduce the chances of the child to have a heart problem in the final weeks of development.

Now the team’s new research unveiled the secret behind continuous exercise would improve the cardiovascular heart control of fetuses, indicating that the mothers’ efforts to stay fit have ongoing effects. The study outcomes shared at the Experimental Biology 2011 annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

One mother-to-be, Kelli Gifford of Katy, Texas noted that the idea that an additional Zumba class or lap around the park could help her baby to develop a stronger heart helps her to become to put more effort on exercising.

The new research had 61 participants in the study, wherein all of them are expecting a child. The moms–to-be got monitored maternal-fetal and infant heart function four times though the whole course of study. There are also the women’s aerobic activity levels, which includes power walking and running. Some, who are more active than the other also lifted weights and practiced yoga.

May says the system that manages heart function is improving with regular aerobic exercise, and enhanced heart control function is a proof for having a healthy cardiovascular system and overall health. The mothers, who exercise help maintains and improve their own health, but, they are also helping their babies to have a head start on having a healthy heart.